Cuteness Alert

Mary-Ann Sontag April 14, 2022

Berkeley’s first show photo!

Dog Show Weekend Report: So Much to Say

Mary-Ann Sontag April 11, 2022

As usual, the weekend was filled with interesting experiences that will take a few days to process.

I want to begin by thanking Almighty Heidi, Expert Dog/Cat/House Sitter and Snake Wrangler Extraordinaire. Yes, there was a snake in the house — twice!

Because of Almighty Heidi, I got to hug my little grandchildren for the first time in six months.

Because of her, I had one of the best dog show days ever on Friday.

First up was Capella — she was Winners Bitch and Best of Winners for two more points towards her championship.

She repeated that on Saturday — Capella is just a natural at this dog show stuff.

But the Big News was Claire. If you have followed this blog, you know some of what that dog has been through with her complicated pregnancy, multiple surgeries, and no appetite for months from the same hormone issue that resulted in her blown knees.

Did I ever share that this 105-pound girl got down to the high-70’s because of the nausea?

All that context matters. It speaks of how far back our starting line fell — and how very hard we worked to get back.

Claire has a spot on her right side that is just not growing back fur. The vet says this sometimes happens — but does it randomly happen like this?

I noticed the heart last week and so went into obedience with Claire on Friday — for the first time in three years — feeling like maybe the Universe was reminding me that everything is going to be okay.

It was.

In the background — the High in Trial wood carved trophy that Claire’s great-great grandma, Abra, won at the 2001 National Specialty.

Claire scored a 199/200 in Novice B obedience — that is an amazing score and it earned her High in Trial. I am so proud of that dog — she has so much heart.

And BOUNCE! In spite of everything. #belikeclaire

Back to Capella. Her Superpower is about temperament.

Capella and Logan — Bright Star Atlas (fka Sun) in the background

Capella is 14-months-old — still a puppy — and yet she was the one I picked for Berkeley’s dog show debut.

When I asked Berkeley a few weeks ago if she wanted to show a dog, she was so excited and told me: “I have waited for years to be on stage.”

Berkeley is five.

When the time came for her big moment, she was a little nervous and asked me to hold her hand.

Thanks to Dear Daughter for the videos and photos.

I am reminded that hard things are a bit less hard when people who care hold our hands. Thanks to everyone who has been taking turns holding mine for these past few months.

Berkeley and I held hands, and see for yourself — it was wonderful.

Day 34 A.M.

Mary-Ann Sontag June 29, 2020

I find small humans endlessly fascinating. Like puppies, children bloom in front of us. There are so many layers and nuances to notice — if we pay attention.

An advantage to being a grandparent is that one’s vantage point shifts — like a turn of the kaleidoscope. The same age child is suddenly an entirely different picture from when we were the parent.

Gone are the heavy burdens and responsibilities of parenthood and so you are free to simply marvel at the charming, incredible new person blooming in front of your eyes. It is amazing.

The benefit of time and age is understanding that few things in life are as serious as we think they are in the moment. The puppy will not turn into an ax murderer if she is not house trained by nine weeks or misses an episode of Puppy Einstein.

That doesn’t mean we should not do our best to shape an enriched and loving environment for children and puppies — we should. But if we forget to dremel the puppies nails one day — meh.

Expecting a 19-month-old to manage himself with small puppies is totally unrealistic — and unfair.

In the same way, expecting a puppy not to bite and chew is entirely unrealistic and unfair — and so you wear long sleeves, cover up your toes with a towel, and enjoy what is wonderful about small puppies.

Time will take care of the biting and chewing — and will also take away the small, cute, new puppies. It all goes together.

And it goes so so fast.

Knowing this invites us to cherish the moment and not sweat the small stuff — like tiny puncture wounds or puddles of pee or graham crackers EVERYWHERE.

Sparkle did get most of that graham cracker

Instead, we appreciate that there are puppies to bite us and grandchildren to leave soggy graham crackers in our coffee.

Nothing is forever — except maybe love.

This is the face of a little human who had to leave the puppies and head back to Boise. Sigh.

For those who remember about her health issues — Berkeley still has low blood sugar issues for unknown reasons. Her wonderful parents have figured out how to manage it through diet and frequent testing — and watching her affect, which changes when she is going low — but none of the specialists or the various tests have identified the cause. Hopefully, she will outgrow it…

Have a wonderful day!

EVENING: PHOTOS FROM THE DAY

The puppies will be five weeks old tomorrow and so it seemed like a good day to start eating “solid” food.

The meal was pureed cooked chicken and sweet potato. I want to make sure everyone gets their fair share and discourage them from feeling rushed while eating — and so they eat individually. Well, except Pete joined…

Karma and Lupine.

I bought this toddler extravaganza for the puppies but when I heard the small humans were planning a visit, I saved it for them. It was a hit for a day or two of their visit but like puppies, small humans like novelty.

Since the small humans have left (much sadness) — and it was raining today — I turned the living room into a puppy play area.